for the ARTS record

MCMANIS AWARDED VERNEY FELLOW Debra A. McManis has been awarded the Nantucket Historical Association's E. Geoffrey and Elizabeth Thayer Verney Fellowship for 2007.

Established in 1999, the program supports research in the collections of the Nantucket Historical Association and other Nantucket repositories and is open to academics, graduate students and independent scholars. Topics of research for recent fellows have included Maria Mitchell, health aboard whaleships, women at sea, scrimshaw, samplers, local artists and prominent citizens, Nantucket's architectural heritage, Quakerism, and the African-American and Cape Verdean communities on Nantucket.

McManis holds an MTS in World Religions from Harvard and a BFA from Rhode Island School of Design; she is currently in the process of writing a book titled "Nantucket Rural Life: An Informal History." The content will be a visual encyclopedia about agrarian history and farm life on Nantucket. McManis will be on island for three weeks, completing her final research. The E. Geoffrey and Elizabeth Thayer Verney Fellowship provides a modest stipend and housing in one of the NHA's historic properties, and the fellow is expected to produce an article suitable for publication in the NHA's publication, "Historic Nantucket."

KIDS SHOP The Atheneum Weezie Library for Children's Holiday Shop is this Saturday, December 16, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. in the Atheneum Lower Gallery. This "gift shop" offers children (ages 4 to 10) the opportunity to purchase small gifts independently and with their own money.

Middle school volunteers will be on hand to assist younger shoppers. All gifts cost $1 or less, and there is a limit of five gifts per shopper. Refreshments and reading material are provided for parents and caregivers while they wait. This is the fourth year of the Holiday Shop at the Atheneum.

LET YOUR HOUSE BE BRIGHT The second annual Community Christmas Light Decorating Contest is open to all residences. Interested participants can pick up registration forms at the Visitor Services office at 25 Federal St. or the Chamber of Commerce office upstairs at 48 Main St. The deadline for registering is Monday, Dec. 17. Judging will only be for home exteriors in the following categories: Brightest Lights, Most Creative and Best Nantucket Themed. Winners will receive "Light" inspired prizes. Judging is Dec. 18 to 21, and the winners will be announced at the Chamber's Red Ticket Holiday Drawing on Monday, Dec. 24. Photographs of the winning residences will be published in the local newspapers. A listing of participating homes will be available to the public at Visitor Services and the Chamber. So, get into the Island holiday spirit and maybe you can be the next Clark W. Griswold.

Questions? Call Visitor Services at 228-0925 or

the Chamber of Commerce at 228-3643. I